Choosing a Target Device – Updated with new 6.0 OS Stats!

We’ve just updated our ‘Choosing a Target Device OS’ page on BlackBerry® Developer Zone. The latest stats containing February 2011 data will help you understand the different Operating Systems used by those users who have downloaded free and paid apps in the BlackBerry App World™ storefront. From there, you can get a sense of what the market is for the version of BlackBerry® Device Software you want to target.

Here are some highlights from these recent stats:

98% of users who downloaded free apps in BlackBerry App World were using devices running BlackBerry Device Software v4.5 or higher

100% of customers that purchased paid apps in App World were using devices running BlackBerry Device Software v4.5 or higher

Also to note, 81% and 90% of BlackBerry platform users who downloaded free and paid apps respectively in BlackBerry App World were using devices running BlackBerry Device Software v5.0 and v6.0. Those are huge numbers. If you haven’t yet considered implementing new features using the BlackBerry® Java® SDK 5.0 or 6.0 APIs, now might be a good time to start.

Let us know if you have any questions about targeting a specific OS in the comments!

About Ian M.

As Manager for Developer Programs at Research In Motion (RIM), Ian and his team are responsible for the design and delivery of programs and services for BlackBerry developers – including support tools and resources, recognition, advocacy, go-to-market, and regional programs. Ian is passionate about making sure that BlackBerry developers have everything they need in order to be successful from the inception of an idea to app deployment or commercialization. Prior to joining Developer Relations, Ian was a Product Manager for various BlackBerry solutions including the BlackBerry Java Development Environment, BlackBerry Maps, and BlackBerry Mobile Voice System.

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